Thursday, April 28, 2011

Four celebrities hiding - some might suggest cowering like scared dogs - behind so-called superinjunctions to prevent details of their private lives being made public have been named on Wikipedia. Users of the online encyclopedia - which, of course, allows anyone to edit it - have published details of the gagging orders on the profiles of a series of public figures who may, or may not be the individuals concerned in these matters. Although the site's moderators quickly removed all of the postings, several have kept reappearing - up to ten times on one of the celebrities' profiles. Which proves, at the very least, that those making such claims are determined little buggers, if nothing else. The allegations also continue to appear in the history of the relevant pages if you know what you're looking for. Which, of course, this blogger does not. Oh, no. Just want to make that abundantly clear. I just report the news, dear blog reader. Or, in this particular case, the lack of it. Wikipedia, which has over four hundred million readers, has said that it will consider locking the pages involved if posters repeatedly try to publish the (as yet, of course, unproven) allegations. This would limit those allowed to edit the pages in question but, as a consequence, it would also likely draw attention to whom the individuals concerned actually are. The identity of the Premier League footballer who, allegedly, had an affair with the Big Brother contestant Imogen Thomas became secret after he gained his injunction at the High Court two weeks ago. The allegations were reported by several newspapers to have been introduced more than ten times onto the Wikipedia page of one particular Premier League player, who may (or may not) be the person who took out the injunction, despite the best efforts of moderators. According to the Daily Scum Mail one user wrote: '[He has] lost his discipline and had [sic] been playing away from home with non [sic] other than Imogen Thomas from Big Brother.' Yeah, you might want to use a spell-checker next time. The paragraph was soon removed but a series of variation have continued to appear - and disappear - with monotonous regularity throughout the last forty eight hours. Meanwhile, the 'high-profile' actor - identified in court only by the initials NEJ - is alleged to have had sex with Helen Wood, the same prostitute who was widely reported to have slept with Wayne Rooney in 2010. The Scum Mail reveals that one user wrote under the charity section of the actor's Wikipedia profile page that he was a 'patron [of a] prostitute in the Manchester area.' Another contributor apparently changed the actor's middle name to 'Super–injunction' whilst yet another added to the actor's education section 'he enjoys the company of "ladies of the night" and super injunctions.' Someone whom the Scum Mail describes as 'a TV star' - known at ETK in count papers - whose 'celebrity mistress' (known only as X) was 'sacked from her job' after the TV star's wife discovered their affair was also one of those allegedly exposed. The newspaper claims that one entry on the man's Wikipedia page stated: 'In April 2011 it was revealed that [the man] was the subject of an injunction banning newspapers from naming him as ETK, the entertainer having an affair.' Another alleged: '[ETK's] sex-affair with [X] has now become subject of a controversial super-injunction. As widely reported all over the Internet.' The fourth celebrity targeted on Wikipedia is a 'television presenter' - said by the newspaper to be 'a household name' and identified by the initials AMM - who took out an injunction last October to stop his ex–wife (HMX) from alleging, publicly, that they'd had an affair after he had remarried. Comments on one individual's Wikipedia profile hinted that he may have obtained such an injunction - and provided a link to an article recently published in Private Eye which had made a similar implication. These were also immediately taken down by moderators on the website. Media lawyers said that the disclosure of the men's identities on the Internet - even if only temporarily - sounded the 'death knell' for privacy injunctions. 'These orders are increasingly redundant because their names are all over Wikipedia and social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook,' said Niri Shan, head of media law at the legal firm Taylor Wessing. 'Because many of these websites are abroad the injunctions are unenforceable.' The postings come as debate rages over the use of injunctions, with lawyers and commentators arguing that they are redundant in the age of websites where anyone can post the names of those hiding behind such gagging orders. Or, at least, those whom they believe, or have heard rumours that they are, hiding behind such gagging orders. Even BBC presenter Andrew Marr, who himself won a gagging order in 2008 preventing the details of his extra-marital affair from being made public, this week said that injunctions were 'out of control' and called for a 'proper sense of proportion' in these type of injunction cases. A spokesman for Wikipedia said that although the site was based in the USA and therefore not bound by injunctions in British courts, it would continue to remove any further allegations posted on the profiles in question. 'The servers are based in the US so Wikipedia is not liable. Our material has to be really well-referenced or it is chucked out immediately.'

Today's Keith Telly Topping's 3 of the Day is from Van Morrison and is rather appropriate.

No comments:

A Necessary Disclaimer

This blog contains occasional outbursts of adult language (about what a right shite state of affairs occur in the world today, mostly) and some (very minor) adult themes every now and then. So, if you're not seventeen years old yet, dear blog reader, then please do yer actual Keith Telly Topping a favour. Naff off and come back when you're a bit older. Thanks muchly.

Disclaimer (A Slight Return)

All of the opinions expressed within this blog - unless specifically indicated otherwise - are Keith Telly Topping's own. They should not, in any way, be thought of as reflecting (either collectively or individually) the views of any of the various media organisations, broadcasters, publishing companies or periodicals for which he has freelanced in the past, or may be employed by in the future. Or, indeed, anyone else other than yer actual Keith Telly Topping his very self.

My opinions, my political and spiritual beliefs, the choice of which TV shows I like and dislike, which newspapers and books I chose to read and, indeed, which football team I have the misfortune to support are my own and expression of them is my right within a free and democratic society. (Which, for all of Britain's faults in other areas in 2016, it just about still is.) If you disagree with any of the opinions expressed here, then please feel free to start your own blog and say whatever is on your mind to your own dear blog readers. That is, after all, what blogs are for.

This blogger encourages everyone to use those freedoms - which many brave men and women have struggled, suffered and died to attain and then maintain over the years - to express your opinions upon whatever subjects you desire and whenever you see fit in a public forum. Within - of course - the boundaries of the law as it currently stands.

Please remember there are, sadly, many parts of the world where citizens do not have similar liberties and who would probably love the opportunity to enjoy some of the freedoms that we in the West, all too often it would seem, take for granted.

Or, To Put It Another Way ...

This PARTICULARLY applies to the contents of this blog.

It's Not Where You're From, It's Where You're At!

A Brief Word Of Necessary Explanation

Copyright - An Important Notice

During 2015, this blogger received three separate "take-down" notices from blogger.com regarding individual pages of From The North relating to - alleged - copyright material posted on this blog. All of which were compiled with despite an extremely unhelpful attitude from those making the requests in telling Keith Telly Topping exactly *what* they - or, specifically, a third party - wished him to remove from the page(s) in question. Therefore, please note, From The North is a non-profit making blog compiled by Keith Telly Topping in his spare time. Almost all of the images used on this blog to illustrate a particular story come via Google Images. No attempt is made to infringe on anyones copyright - and the same goes to any links provided to You Tube. I am perfectly happy to remove any links or images from any particular page which are copyrighted (within reason, of course), but it would greatly help if I knew which one (or ones) are at issue. If you are a copyright holder and you believe that something has been posted on From The North which shouldn't be, please contact this blogger directly via the comments section.

All Are Welcome, Yes Indeed

Who He Is & How He Came To Be

A full-time survivor, dandy highwayman, bon vivant, self-unemployed author, journalist and broadcaster Keith Telly Topping's bibliography includes over forty books on mainly pop culture subjects. He was the co-editor of two editions of The Guinness Book of Classic British TV and has written or co-written volumes on television series as diverse as The X-Files, Star Trek, The Avengers, 24, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Angel, Charmed, The Sweeney and Stargate SG-1 as well as music, film and literary critique. He authored four Doctor Who novels (including the award-winning The Hollow Men, with Martin Day) and a novella. His work includes two editions of the acclaimed The West Wing programme guide Inside Bartlet’s White House, A Vault Of Horror: A Book Of Eighty Great (and not-so-great) British Horror Movies, Do You Want To Know A Secret?: A Fab Anthology of Beatles Facts and Doctor Who: The Discontinuity Guide. He was a regular contributor to numerous TV and genre magazines and was a former Contributing Editor to DreamWatch. He is widely considered to be one of Britain's foremost experts on the bewildering complexities of US network television. No, he hasn't the faintest idea why either.

Notoriously suave, articulate and a right wow with the ladies (allegedly), Keith Telly Topping was born in Newcastle Upon Tyne on the very day that his beloved (though even then unsellable) United lost 3-2 at home to Northampton Town. Things haven't improved much since. He was the presenter of the monthly The Book Club (2006-08) and the daily Keith Telly Topping & His Top TV Tips preview slot on BBC Newcastle (2005-2012). He contributed to the BBC television series I ♥ the 70s, Call The Cops and The Perfect Detective and has also written for Sounds, the Daily Telegraph, The Sunday Times Culture Supplement, Radio Times, TV Zone, The Doctor Who Magazine and many other publications and periodicals.

Keith Telly Topping writes, and occasionally performs stand-up, and has written radio comedy, co-wrote the stage musical Monopolise! (performed at the 2011 Edinburgh Comedy Festival with Alfie Joey and Mark Deeks) and two TV pilots both of which are, currently, stuck in 'Development Hell.' A failed pop star at the age of fourteen as bass guitarist in (the never-legendary) Slime, Keith Telly Topping lives, works and occasionally sleeps on Tyneside. His interests include foreign travel, listening to bowel-shatteringly loud pop music, socialising with friends, eating in nice Chinese restaurants, watching football and cricket, reading, tacky British horror movies of the 1960s and 70s, military, political and social history and lots of other malarkey and shenanigans too numerous to list.

Keith Telly Topping still dines out on the tale of how he and three friends once - accidentally - stalked George Harrison down the entire length of Oxford Street. True story.

yer actual keith telly topping

THIS Is What You're Up Against

Nobody's Perfect

咖喱米飯和晶片

The Internet Is Responsible For All Of The EVIL In The World. Apparently

Has Anyone Else Noticed That The World Appears To Have Gone To Shit Since David Bowie Died?

The two things are, surely, connected?

Still, Life Has Its Upside

Sometimes. But, only if you think hard enough about it.

Docotr Who Fandom Explained

Available Again - Something This Blogger Has Written Which He's Actually Quite Proud Of

Keith Topping & Martin Day's award-winning 1998 Doctor Who novel The Hollow Men has been reissued by Random House as a kindle download. It can be yours, dear blog reader, for just three English pounds and thirty two pence from Amazon.

Available Again - Something Else This Blogger Co-Wrote Which He's Actually Extremely Proud Of

Paul Cornell, Martin Day and Keith Topping's award-winning Doctor Who: The Discontinuity Guide is now available in a kindle edition

Other Links

Keith Telly Topping's World Cup Trivia Page

http://worldcuptrivia.blogspot.com/

Monopolise!

The Telly Topping Family Crest

Motto: Veniat Ad Me, Si Putas Te Firmiores Irascibilem

Comments

Comments are always welcome - spam is most definitely not. However, no comments will be accepted from that well known regular attempted contributor 'Anonymous'. If you've got something which you think is worth saying, then I'm sure we'd all like to read it. But, at least have the good grace to put your name to it.

Also, this blog operates a zero tolerance policy towards rude arseholes, racists, homophobes and crass bullies. If you want to indulge in those sort of things then you can go somewhere else and do it (though it'd probably be preferable for everyone if you didn't). Be advised, however, that you are not any getting space on my blog to spread your repulsive views.

mission statement - part I

From The North is actively committed to working for a brighter future for Great Britain through the promotion of junk culture telly and loud pop music among young people.

mission statement - part II

This is, of course, an equal-opportunities blog. We treat them ALL with the same level of complete and utter contempt that they so richly deserve. As Billy Connolly once said, 'don't vote for them, it only encourages them.'

mission statement - part III

It's a truism but, in life, one tends never to fully appreciate the good things that one has until they are gone. Just a thought

appreciate what you've got while you've got it

The BBC is, of course, a British institution and national treasure. It is also - much more importantly - a World Class broadcaster with a global reputation for journalistic honesty, integrity, balance, innovation, creativity and quality. Ironically the only places in the world where it isn't highly regarded are in knobcheese fascist dictatorships like Iran and China and in its own backyard where scum politicians and lice newspapers with an agenda use it as their own personal punch-bag. This is WRONG. This blog supports the BBC and believes that it is high time the people of this country - to whom, after all, the BBC *belongs* - stand up for themselves and remind such crass, ignorant bullies that the BBC is better than all of them put together

reasons to be alive in 2017

No. 1: The third Peter Capaldi series of Doctor Who

can't find anything worth watching on TV tonight?

Then why not open your Complete West Wing DVD box-set and watch a couple of episodes in bed with a box of Maltesers®™ and a nice hot cup of milky cocoa? The world will, yer Keith Telly Topping respectfully suggests, look a whole hell of a lot better after a trip inside Bartlet's White House

whom yer actual Keith Telly Topping does NOT work for

Militant Agnosticism Or Understandable Indecisiveness?

I would really appreciate it if any postings made by myself on this blog are not reposted elsewhere without my permission. Which will almost certainly be given but I'd like you to at least do me the courtesy of asking first. Thank you for your kind consideration in this regard.